Headlight



C; G. ALDRICH HEADLIGHT April 17, 1934.

Origi al Filed Feb. 28, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 17, 1934.

C. G. ALDRICH HEADLIGHT Original Filed Feb. 28, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Apr. 17, 1934 HEADLIGHT Carl G. Aldrich, Medford, Mass.

Application February 28, 1931, Serial No. 519,150

4 Renewed September 9, 1933 4 Claims.

My invention relates to headlights for motor vehicles and to attachmentstherefor, the object of the invention being to eliminate or minimize theobjectionable blinding glare characterizing many headlights asheretofore constructed, and to provide a construction which willfunction to illuminate the roadway in an improved manner; 1

To these ends I have provided a headlight structure comprising as partsthereof the usual parabolic reflector within, and at the focal point ofwhich is arranged the usual electric lamp or light bulb,

In carrying out my invention I provide a small 1 auxiliary reflectingshield directly in front of the electric lamp and close to the bulbthereof whose side nearest the latter is constituted by a pair ofangularly disposed, preferably flat, reflecting surfaces which meet at apeak or crest that is preferably perpendicular to, and intersected by,the axis of the parabolic reflector, and from which peak orcrest thesaid surfaces extend obliquely forward so that the angle between and infront of the two is less than 180.

Thus the auxiliary reflecting shield occupies a central position in thepath of direct light rays emanating and radiating forwardly from thelamp filament which, except for my new auxiliary reflecting shield,would issue radially from the front of the headlight without impingingupon the main parabolic reflector.

My new auxiliary device, however, reflects most of these rays laterallywith respect to the axis of the parabolic reflector and against thelatter at such an angle that said parabolic reflector again diverts themforwardly.

It is also a feature of my inventicn'that the auxiliary reflectingshield is shaped, proportioned and positioned with respect to theparabolic reflector and lamp so as to permit the exit at the oppositesides thereof of two laterally directed beams of direct rays from thelamp filament by which the sides of the road, or curbs, adjacent thevehicle are illuminated.

Another feature of my invention consists in constructing the auxiliaryreflecti shield as an attachment for the bulb of the lamp of aheadlight.

Other features of my invention are hereinafter pointed out. p

In the accompanying drawings:

V Figure 1 is a top plan view of the parabolic 3 reflector, lampv andreflecting shield; of a headtion, said reflector being shown inlongitudinal section.

Figure 2 is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the reflectorbeing shown in longitudinal section,

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the reflecting shield.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the lamp and reflecting shield shown inFigs. 1 and 3.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view. hereinafter referred to.

Figure 6 illustrates an alternative form of reflecting shield.

Figure 7 is a view like Figure l but illustrating a headlightconstruction embodying other features of my invention.

Figure .8 is a top plan View of the lamp and reflecting shield of Figure7.

Figure '9 is a front elevation of the reflecting shield shown in Figures'7 and 8.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusivecomprises a parabolic refiector R made at its back with an aperturewithin which is adjustably mounteda lamp socket 1 adapted to receive andhold the base of an elec- 1 trio lamp L. The socket 1 is adjusted towardand from the focal point 0 of reflector R manually by the usual means,not shown, and when in its proper position the filament of lamp Lcoincides with the focal O which is, therefore, the source of light.

Directly in front of the lamp L and close to the bulb thereof, I providean auxiliary reflectorshield S of non-transparent sheet material such assheet metal which is made upon its rear side with two forwardlydivergent reflecting surfaces 8 and s". These surfaces, which arepreferably flat, are obliquely disposed relatively to each other andalso relatively to the axis ac:r of the parabolic reflector R. The angleof divergence of these two surfaces may be in the neighborhood of 120.

Thus the reflector-shield is a peaked structure and it is separablyattached to the bulb of lamp L, as herein shown, by a pair of oppositelydisposed resilient arms 5' and s which may be made from spring wire.These arms s and s support the reflector-shield S with its peak or crestdisposed vertically at right angles to, and intersecting, th

axis of the parabolic reflector R.

It will thus be clear that light rays radiating forwardly from thesource 0 which are within the region ,A, Figs. 1, 2 and 5 will strikeupon the surfaces .8 and s and be reflected laterally at such anglesthat they will strike upon the parabolic reflector R by which they willagain be reflected forwardly.

The large arrows a in Fig. 1 illustrate the paths of two of these rayswhich are on a horizontal plane coincident with the axis x at. Otherrays of this group which are above and below the axis IB-$, Fig. 2, willalso be diverted laterally by reflector S and then reflected forwardlyby reflector R. The main parallel rays which are reflected straightforward in parallelism by reflector R are indicated by the smallerarrows b in Fig. 1.

Owing to the forwardly divergent disposition of the two reflectingsurfaces s and s of the auxiliary reflector S approximately all of thedirect rays emanating from the source of light and impinging thereon aredeflected laterally directly to the parabolic reflector R, and fromreflector R these rays are again deflected forwardly.

The above-described headlight may be provided, as is usual, with aprismatic lens as indicated by dotted lines at P, and this lens may beconstructed, also as usual, to group the light rays which pass throughit or most of them, in a horizontal band-like beam.

From the above description it will be seen that my new auxiliaryreflector-shield S not only blankets the greater portion of the directforwardly radiating rays which would otherwise pass out at the front ofreflector R without striking the same thereby greatly reducing theglare, but these blanketed light rays are diverted laterally in alldirections, by the reflecting surfaces 3 and s on to the parabolicreflector R so that they are utilized to illuminate the roadway,particularly at the opposite sides thereof. a

The reflector shield of Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, is made of a length,vertically, to extend from a straight line 0 connecting the source oflight and focal point 0 with the chime of reflector R at the top of thelatter to a straight line d connecting O with the chime of reflector Rat the bottom of the latter. Therefore, there is no exit at the top andbottom of the parabolic reflector for direct light rays from the source0.

In order that direct light rays diverging from source 0 may have outletsB at opposite sides of the reflector R, the reflector-shield is shown asmade less in width than its vertical dimension and therefore crescentshaped outlets B exist at the opposite sides of reflector through whichlight rays pass directly from the lamp filament toward the curbs oropposite sides of the roadway close to the front of the vehicle and tothe adjacent parts of the roadway between the illuminated curbs and theheadlight while the main light beam from reflector R illuminates a muchlarger field of the roadway well in advance of the vehicle a substantialdistance ahead of the two curb illuminating beams.

An alternative form of reflector-shield is shown at S in Figure 6 andthis shield is in all respects the same as the form above describedexcept that it is made at its bottom with a notch 8 or otherwise formed,to provide an outlet at the bottom of reflector R through which lightrays from source 0 pass directly obliquely downward and forward so as toilluminate the roadway close to and directly in front of the vehicle.

In driving in a fog, smoke or dust, without my new reflecting shield Sor S in position on the bulb the divergent light rays passing directlyout of the front of reflector R brighly illuminate the vapor of the fogor particles of dust or smoke immediately in front of the vehicle andthis illuminated matter appears as a curtain and practically preventsvision beyond the same which is highly undesirable and dangerous. Underthe same foggy or other described conditions, and with my new shield inposition on the bulb, this illumination of the atmosphere in the line ofvision of the driver does not exist.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 thereflecting shield S is molded to shape from stiff sheet material and,like the forms above described, is provided upon its rear side withforwardly divergent approximately vertical reflecting faces 3 and smeeting at a straight peak or crest.

Near its middle this reflecting shield is made with four smallperforations s symmetrically grouped in two pairs, one at each side ofthe vertical median line of said shield. Into each pair of holes ishooked the extremities of the legs of a spring wire ball 8 whose middleportion is bent sidewise sharply so as to provide a laterally andinwardly extending loop s to embrace the relatively small neck portionof the lamp L.

The intermediate portions of the legs of each spring wire bail s arepermanently bowed apart radially with respect to a line extendingperpendicularly from a point on the apex or peak of shield S at themiddle of the group of holes 8 to provide each bail with a socket intowhich fits the adjacent convex side of the larger outer end of the lampbulb and, since the loops s of the two wire bails extend inwardly aroundopposite sides of the neck of the lamp, the shield is securely held inposition upon the bulb.

The top of the shield S is made with a rearwardly extending upwardlytilted peaked visor s made upon its under side with two downwardlydiverging reflecting surfaces at opposite sides of its middle.

This visor s not only serves as a barrier to prevent any direct raysfrom leaving reflector R at the top of the latter throughout aboutonethird of the circumference of its chime, but its divergent bottomsurfaces deflect laterally on to reflector R all, or approximately all,of the said direct rays which strike thereon.

t its lower end the shield S may be cut away, or formed with a notch sto permit abeam of direct light rays C, Fig. 7, to illuminate theroadway close to and in front of the vehicle. At the same time theshield S may, as shown, be made narrow enough to permit the escape ateach side thereof of two curb illuminating beams of direct rays B, Fig.9.

The above described reflecting shield is very inexpensive to build andin practice I have found it highly satisfactory and efficient insecuring the above described results.

The form of shield illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 has the advantagethat it will function to prevent the escape of direct light rays at thetop of reflector R even though the diameter of its chime may vary eitherway within a widerange, whereas the use of the forms shown in Figs. 1and 6 is more limited in this respect.

What I claim isz- 1. As a new article of manufacture an attachment forthe electric lamp of a headlight, said attachment comprising a smallauxiliary reflecting shield of molded sheet metal that is V-shaped inhorizontal cross section and means adapted to engage the lamp thereby toseparably fasten said reflecting shield in position directly in front ofthe bulb of said lamp with its apex disposed vertically and'closelyadjacent the end of the bulb of said lamp, the rear side of saidreflecting shield consisting of a pair of vertically disposed fiatreflecting surfaces which diverge forwardly from and at opposite sidesof a vertical line intersecting the axis of said lamp, closely adjacentthe latter, and each of said vertically disposed surfaces beingapproximately parallel throughout its extent with said vertical line.

2. As a new article of manufacture an attachment for the electric lampof a headlight, said attachment comprising a small auxiliary reflectingshield of molded sheet metal and means projecting rearwardly from theback of said reflecting shield adapted to engage the lamp thereby toseparably fasten said reflecting shield in position opposite and closelyadjacent to the end of the bulb of said lamp, the said reflecting shieldbeing provided upon its rear side with a pair of refleeting surfaceswhich diverge forwardly from and at opposite sides of a vertical linethroughout a substantial length of said line and the latter intersectingthe axis of said lamp, and the said reflecting shield being provided atits top with a rearwardly extending ray-intercepting visor.

3. As a new article of manufacture an attachment for the electric lampof a headlight, said attachment being constructed in accordance withclaim 2, and wherein the under side of said rearwardly extending visorserves as a reflector by which direct rays from said lamp are deflectedon to the main reflector of the headlight.

4. As a new article of manufacture an attachment for the electric lampof a headlight, said attachment comprising a small auxiliary reflectingshield of molded sheet material and means for separably fastening saidreflecting shield in position opposite and closely adjacent the end ofthe bulb of said lamp, said reflecting shield being provided upon itsrear side with a pair of flat vertically disposed reflecting surfaceswhich diverge forwardly from and at opposite sides of a vertical lineintersecting the axis of said lamp and wherein said reflecting shield isprovided adjacent its top with a rearwardly extending rayinterceptingvisor having upon its under side a reflecting surface by which forwardlyand upwardly projected direct rays from said lamp are deflectedlaterally on to the main reflector of the headlight.

CARL G. ALDRICH.

